Cottage cheese or Paneer is so versatile and I can always think of so many ways to make it. Recently I came across this chicken recipe with Chinese flavours and me being a vegetarian decided to try it out with cottage cheese instead of chicken. This turned out very Yummy and I realised that there can be many versions of this. The sauce would be the same and the cottage cheese can replaced with tofu or cauliflower or any crunchy vegetable.
Ingredients:
For the batter
- 250 GMs Cottage cheese or paneer
- 2 tbsp corn flour
- 2 tbsp white flour or maida
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
For the sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
- 1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
- 2 tsp corn flower powder
- Oil for deep frying
Method :
Mix all the ingredients for the batter and make a thick paste with water. Add medium size pieces of the cottage cheese to the batter and leave them to marinate in the refrigerator for an hour. Take the pieces out and deep fry them in hot oil on a high flame till golden in colour. In another pan heat the sesame oil and add chilli flakes to it . Once they are roasted, add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the orange juice , soy sauce , vinegar to the pan and bring to a boil. Make a slurry of the corn flour and add to the pan and stir till the sauce thickens. Add the fried cottage cheese pieces and toss them gently to coat them with the sweet and sour sauce. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves or the greens of spring onions.